European Union’s Peacebuilding in Africa’s Great Lakes Region as an Imperialist Project

The European Union is carrying out an imperialist project of raw materials acquisition and perpetuation of centre-periphery dependency in Africa’s Great Lakes region. This imperialist project has been camouflaged as peacebuilding with the purpose of achieving security, peace and development. As an international security actor, the EU has established its presence in Africa and consequently devised and implemented a wide range of international security mechanisms under the rubric of the Common Foreign and Defence Policy. This article has evaluated the EU’s peacebuilding in the Great Lakes region and noted that it is purposed to further the economic interests of the EU rather than peacebuilding. It contextualizes the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, Sudan, Angola, Central African Republic, Tanzania, Zambia and Burundi. Grounded in secondary qualitative data and explicated from the humanitarian-development approach, the paper argues that the EU has been unable to consolidate peacebuilding in the great Lakes region. It notes that both the EU’s peacebuilding policy prescriptions and practical peacebuilding efforts have amounted to the advancement of the imperialists interests of the EU disguised as democracy promotion, economic liberalization and humanitarian aid. For the EU to be effective in peacebuilding in the Great Lakes Region, there is the urgent need to decolonize the peacebuilding process to focus on addressing the underlying causes of conflicts and their consequences. Effort needs to be made towards increasing funding, engaging of local actors.

The European Union, Armed Conflicts, peacebuilding, humanitarian-development approach

1. ACCORD (2016). Conflict in the Great Lakes Region: Unpacking the underlying causes for the volatility that exists within the political and economic network of the Great Lakes Region. Conflict Trends, may 5, 2016. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. ACLED (2024). In the Great Lakes region, lasting peace remains elusive between armed groups with international ties. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. African Center for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE) (n.d). The African Great Lakes (n.d). https://www.agl-acare.org/resources/the-african-great-lakes/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. African Center for Strategic Studies (2025). Africa’s Colliding Conflicts compound forced displacement crisis. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Akpan, N.E. & Nnorom, K. (2019). The Political economy of resource conflicts in Nigeria. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa. Vol. 21 (4) 2019. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Amani Africa (2023). Safeguarding the humanitarian space in Africa: Analysis of Current state of Affairs and policy recommendations. Policy Brief, December, 2023 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Amnesty International (2025). Agenda Item 5: Statements on the Situation of human rights in Africa. 85th Ordinary Session of the African Union Commission on Human and Peoples rights 21-30 October, 2025, Banjul, Gambia. AFR 01/0444/2025. 23 October, 2025. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Annan, N. (2014). “Violent Conflicts and Civil Strife in West Africa: Causes, Challenges and Prospects”. Stability: International Journal of Security & Development, 3(1): 3, pp. 1-16, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/sta.da [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Aremu, O. (2010). “Conflicts in Africa: Causes, impact and solutions”. Africa Research Review. An International Multidisciplinary Journal, Ethiopia. Vol. 4 (4). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Armed Conflicts Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) (2025). Africa Overview: December, 2025. Monthly Regional Update. 8 December, 2025. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Bihuzo, R.M. (2012). Unfinished Business: A Framework for Peace in the Great Lakes. No. 21 / July 2012. Africa Security Brief: A Publication of the Africa center for Strategic Studies. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Bolaji, K. (2025). Policy Brief] Great Lakes Regional Insights: Trade, Socio-Economic Growth & Livelihoods. [Policy Brief] Great Lakes Regional Insights: Trade, Socio-Economic Growth & Livelihoods. October, 15, 2025. UNDP RESILIENCE HUB FOR AFRICA [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Boutros-Ghali, B. (1992). An Agenda for Peace: Preventive Diplomacy. Peacemaking and peacekeeping. Report of the Secretary-General Pursuant to the Statement Adopted by the Summit Meeting of the Security Council on 31st January 1992. Department of Public Information. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Bowen, B. (2023). New Imperialism. In: Williams, H. Boucher, D., Sutch, p., Reidy, D. and Koutsoukis, A. (Ed) Palgrave Handbook of International Political Theory. Springer Nature [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Broadberry, S. and Harrison, M. (2008). Economics of the Two World War. Seventy Years on. A Voxeu.orgeBook [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Charter of the United Nations and Statute of the International Court of Justice. San Francisco. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Coser, L.A. (1998). The Functions of Social Conflict. London: Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Council of the European Union (2023). A renewed EU Great Lakes Strategy: Supporting the transformation of the root causes of instability into shared opportunities. Council Conclusions (20 February 2023) Outcome of Proceedings (OR. en) 6631/23 COAFR 77 COPS 90 DEVGEN 37 COHOM 53 COHAFA 20 RELEX 244 CFSP/PESC 300 CSDP/PSDC 143. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Cunningham, A. J. (2017). “Post-conflict contexts and humanitarian organizations: the changing relationship with states”. Journal of Internal Humanitarian Action Vol. 2 (7). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. European Central African Network (2025). Pathways to stability: Great Lakes Rethinking the EU's role in the Report of the 2 October 2025 conference [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. European Union (2022). The European Union: What it is and what it does [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Fernandes, B. (2025). Balancing peacemaking aims with strategic trade goals: the EU’s approach to conflict in the Great Lakes Region. Submitted to Central European University, Department of International Relations in partial fulfilment of the Degree of master of Arts in International Relations. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Galtung, J. (1996). Peace by peaceful means. Sage Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Galtung, J. (2012). Building Direct Structural peace. Transcend University [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Hara, F. (2011). Preventive Diplomacy in Africa. International Peace Institute. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Huggins, et al, (2005). Conflict in the Great Lakes Region – How is it Linked with Land and Migration? Natural Resource perspectives. Number 96, March 2005 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (n.d). Peace and Security in the Greta Lakes Region. The European Union’s Commitment to Supporting ICGLR Member States to Unlock the Development Power of their Natural Resources. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. International Peace Institute (2018). Humanitarian action and sustaining peace. https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/0306-Humanitarian-Action-and-Sustaining-Peace.pdf. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. InterPeace (n.d). Great lakes. https://www.interpeace.org/programme/great-lakes/ accessed 23 July, 2026. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Jentzsch, C. (2014). The financing of International peace operations in Africa. A review of recent research analysis. African Peace building Network. APN Working Paper No. 1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Kalantzakos, S. (2019). The Geopolitics of Critical Minerals. Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Kepe, M. et al (2023). Great Power Competition and Conflict in Africa. RAND Corporation. Santa Monica, Calif. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Kinsey, D. (2024). Imperialism: Expansionism, Paternalsism, and Resistance. In: Hofner, L., Vaid, D., Baumann, B., Bultman, D. and Vakulabharaman, V. (Ed) Global Handbook of Inequality. Springer Nature. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Lie, J. H. S. (2020). The humanitarian-development nexus: humanitarian principles, practice, and pragmatics. Journal of international Humanitarian Action. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Lie, J. H. S. (2020). The humanitarian-development nexus: humanitarian principles, practice, and pragmatics. Journal of international Humanitarian Action. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Manners, I. (2002) “Normative power Europe: a contradiction in terms?”. Journal of Common Market Studies, 40:2, 235–258. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Murphy, D.C. (2022). China’s rise in the Global South: the middle-East, Africa and Beijing’s Alternative World Order. Stanford University Press [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Shyaka, A. (2008) "Understanding the Conflicts in the Great Lakes Region: An Overview," Journal of African Conflicts and Peace Studies: Vol. 1: Iss. 1, 5-12. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/2325-484X.1.1.1 Available at: https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/jacaps/vol1/iss1/3 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Strand, A. (2020). Humanitarian-Development nexus. In: A. De Lauri, (Ed). Humanitarianism. Brill. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. The European Union (2023). A Short Guide to the EU European Commission Directorate-General for Communication Editorial Service & Targeted Outreach [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. The United Nations Interagency Framework Team for Preventive Action (2012). Extractive Industries and Conflict. Toolkit and Guidance for Preventing and Managing land and Natural Resources Conflict. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. The United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) (2020). Preventive Diplomacy Resource Book. Preventive Diplomacy Academy [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Global Appeal 2025. Situation Overview: The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Assessed 26 may, 2025. https//files/2024- [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Wallerstein, P. (2017). Understanding the sources of conflict. C. Peve, C. & E. Wertha (Eds) Strengthening the practice of peacemaking and preventive diplomacy in the United nations. The UNITAR approach. United nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

45. Ignatieff, M. (2003). Empire lite: nation building in Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan, London: Vintage, 2003, 126. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

46. Rieff, D. (2003). A bed for the night: humanitarianism in crisis, New York: Simon & Schuster. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• China in South Asia and South America: Connections, Intersections and Similarities
• Prospects and Impediments to China-Africa Sports Cooperation in the Contemporary Era
• Decolonising International Relations: African Perspectives on Global Justice - The Case of the Gambia in the International Court of Justice.
• Climate - Induced Displacement and its Implications on Human Security: A Case Study of Ghana
• Evaluating the Effectiveness of ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) in Promoting and Protecting Local Industries in West Africa (2015 – 2024)